Photo of the Day - Rickshaws in Jaisalmer Fort

Rickshaws galore in Jaisalmer Fort, Rajasthan, India

When we last visited Jaisalmer it hadn't rained for seven years and this will tell you a lot about what to expect from this oasis in the Rajasthani desert near the Pakistani border. Many tourists come to visit the giant sand-castle that is Jaisalmer Fort, which is a fascinating experience in itself, but the one thing that you shouldn't leave here without doing is a camel safari out into the Thar desert (expect a tout to approach you selling a safari about once every five minutes...). You'll feel like Lawrence of Arabia as you head out into the dunes, eat a delicious dinner as the sun sets and count the shooting stars as you drift off to sleep – fantastic.


Click here for our free guide to travelling in India.

Photo of the Day - Sydney Harbour Bridge

View of the Harbour Bridge from North Sydney

Although we've chosen to show it here, Sydney is more than just a bridge and an opera house! With world class beaches, dining, attractions and nightlife, miss it at your peril! One of the most naturally beautiful cities in the world, it should be part of every backpacker's itinerary in Oz, whether you fancy surfing in Bondi, drinking in edgy King's Cross, holding Koalas in Taronga Zoo or (yes, we know...) climbing the Harbour Bridge, you will never forget your trip to Sydney.

Click here for our free guide to travelling in Australia.

Photo of the Day - Mount Bromo, Indonesia

The moonscape surrounding Mount Bromo as the mist spreads over the otherworldly Sea of Sand

Mount Bromo - Java, Indonesia is situated at the Eastern area of Java, this magnificent volcano (or group of volcanoes to be precise) is a must-see on the route across from Jakarta to Bali. Bromo is accessed from Cemoro Lawang and is best seen at sunrise as the mist across the sea of sand clears to reveal an incredible lunar landscape. The crater itself can be reached by jeep, horse or foot and seeing its sea of rock, lava and sand truly is an experience of a lifetime.


Click here to read our FREE guide to backpacking in Indonesia

Photo of the Day - Peaceful waters off Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Sihanoukville, Cambodia: Relax, kick off your shoes and take a break from temple-spotting and the heart-rending sights of Phnom Penh. The beach at Sihanoukville is a great one, lined with low-rise thatched beach bars and restaurants: the night-life, though years behind its brasher neighbours in Thailand, is fun and buzzing. Take boat trips out to uninhabited tropical islands, indulge in some decent diving or visit Ream National park to spot monkeys and dolphins amongst the mangroves.


For our free guide to backpacking in Cambodia, please click here.

Photo of the Day - Huacachina Sand Dunes, Peru

Vast sand dunes near Huacachina, Peru - great for sandboarding!

Lacking historical importance and cultural charm, Huacachina is the kind of place to kick back, pass a couple of days under the sun and replenish your travelling zest. Near the city of Ica (where the buses will bring you) and on the road between Lima and Arequipa, Huacachina is a small village of hotels and backpacker hostels built around a manmade lake and in the midst of colossal sand dunes. The ‘oasis’ feel may be a bit contrived, but this is a town built for travellers, with plenty of activities of the adrenaline-boosting (dune buggies and sandboarding amongst others) or more sedate (vineyard tours) variety, as well as the option of just sitting by the pool all day. It is also a great base for exploring the enigmatic Nazca Lines carved into the sand about 60 miles south – the nerve-racking plane ride is the best way to marvel at the bizarreness of these pre-Incan drawings.

For our free guide to travelling in Peru, please click here.

Photo of the Day - Beach scene in Langkawi, Malaysia

Beautiful Pantai Cenang beach, Langkawi Malaysia

We loved the beautiful beaches on modern Langkawi, but not necessarily the rampant development in parts of it. Most of the budget islands are on or around the pretty beach at Pantai Cenang (as well as quieter Pantai Tengah), so bring your sunscreen and enjoy the duty-free beer. It's a beautiful island, with plenty on offer from mangrove tours and eagle feeding as well as diving, island hopping and the chance to take a trip up the Langkawi cable car to admire views over the mountains and beaches.

Click here for our free guide to Malaysia.

Photo of the Day - Colca Canyon, Peru

Trekking in magnificent Colca Canyon, near Arequipa, Peru

Although not officially the deepest canyon in the world (that accolade goes the Cañon del Cotahuasi, about 50 miles to the west), the Cañon del Colca is the second deepest and the more accessible, and certainly worth the trip out of Arequipa. Organised tours are not everyone’s idea of adventure, but the tour firms in Arequipa provide the simplest way of visiting the canyon in one/two/three night packages, including varying degrees of hiking and sometimes rafting. Tours pass through the barren Parque Nacional de Salinas, where you’ll see wild alpacas, llamas and vicuñas foraging, before descending into the canyon. Although itineraries vary, the highlight of most people’s trip is rising early to see the condors soaring off the thermals at Cruz del Condor. The sight of the world’s largest bird swooping overhead (sometimes a little too close for comfort) is worth the trip alone.


Click here for our free guide to Peru!

Photo of the Day - Sunset in Vang Vieng, Laos

Sunset in Laos's party destination, Vang Vieng

Vang Vieng


Love it or hate it , this Disneyland for backpackers has it become one of the 'it' destinations of South East Asia. A small village set in some incredible mountain scenery, full of bars showing Friends and The Simpsons on loop while flipping out burgers and fries, Vang Vieng is not an authentic experience. But it is a hell of a lot of fun. Floating down the river in a tractor tube stopping at bars and taking on some ridiculous rope swings (aka tubing) is the must-do activity in this part of the world – yes it's shamelessly tacky and more than a little dangerous but for a lot of people it's the highlight of their trip. If you can't beat them, join them!


Click here for our free guide to Laos.

Photo of the Day - Banjul, the Gambia

Young entrepreneurs, ferry port, Banjul, the Gambia

Going on a Gap Year and not sure where to go or how to start planning? Want to go travelling but in need of some inspiration and tips? Use our advise me page for FREE, ON-DEMAND, UNBIASED travel advice written JUST FOR YOU!

funtotravel.info also offers informative and practical country profiles, real-time travellerreviews for destinations around the world, as well as social networking for backpackers, connecting you on the road like never before. What are you waiting for? Sign up today!

For more information on what we offer and who we are, please check out our FAQ section.

Photo of the Day - Plaza de Armas, Salta, Argentina

Pretty Plaza de Armas in swinging Salta, Argentina

Salta
We loved this beautiful, fun and friendly city in the north west of the country, which is fast becoming a must visit for backpackers in Argentina. With its position as a perfect stop going to or coming from Bolivia, the city has seen a boom in backpacker hostels and has brilliant nightlife, particular in the 'zona viva' – the party area of town. Salta is compact and gorgeous, particularly around the cathedral and Plaza 9 de Julio. To get a feel for the city and the surrounding area from above, we recommend heading up to Cerro San Bernardo in the cable car. Take advantage of the cheap rates on offer to hire a car and take the road out to pretty Cachi – it's one of the greatest road trips in Argentina and you'll see the raw, barren beauty of the north west in all of its glory.

Click here for our free guide to Argentina.

Photo of the Day - Luna Park, Sydney

The iconic entrance to Luna Park in Sydney Harbour, Australia

Sydney is more than just a bridge and an opera house! With world class beaches, dining, attractions and nightlife, miss it at your peril! One of the most naturally beautiful cities in the world, it should be part of every backpacker's itinerary in Oz, whether you fancy surfing in Bondi, drinking in edgy King's Cross, holding Koalas in Taronga Zoo or (yes, we know...) climbing the Harbour Bridge, you will never forget your trip to Sydney.


Click here for our free online guide to Australia.

Photo of the Day - Flinders Street, Melbourne

Under the clocks, Flinders Street Station:  A Melbourne icon (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Melbourne: scene of England's recent Ashes triumph and probably the most liveable city in the world. Go to marvellous Melbourne for fantastic food, pumping nightlife, world-class sporting events by the bucket load, some great beaches within easy reach and Australia's best cultural scene. OK the weather's not the easiest to predict (prepare yourself for the infamous 'four seasons in one day'), but the longer you stay the harder it is to leave this buzzing, fun city.


Click here to read our free guide to travelling in Oz!

Photo of the Day - Central Hong Kong

Street scene, Central, Hong Kong Island (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Hong Kong

First, the bad news: Hong Kong is as overcrowded, polluted, expensive and (at times) stifling humid as they say. But the good news is that it's fun, raucous, brash and exciting. Although it's part of China, Hong Kong is a 'Special Administrative Region' meaning that it enjoys free trade, freedom of expression and a great deal of autonomy from the mainland.

There are many classic 'must-do's in Hong Kong, and all of them live up expectation, whether staring down from atop Victoria Peak at the forest of skyscrapers below, taking the Star Ferry across the harbour or watching the incredible nightly light show from across the water in Kowloon. 'Honkers' offers a buzzing bar scene in Wan Chai, SoHo and Lan Kwai Fong, world-class eating in the dim-sum heaven that is Central and some brilliant shopping as you'd expect. Money matters here in Hong Kong – this is a place to see and be seen, and prices everywhere reflect how many big businesses are crammed onto this tiny densely-populated area. But away from the glitz and glamour you'll find a number of unexpected pleasures like fantastic (free!) hiking and some great rock climbing.

Bring some serious cash, a big appetite and get ready to party – Hong Kong is a hell of a lot of fun.

Click here for our FREE guide to Hong Kong.

About funtotravel.info

Going on a Gap Year and not sure where to go or how to start planning? Want to go  travelling but in need of some inspiration and tips? Use the funtotravel.info advise me page for FREE, ON-DEMAND, UNBIASED travel advice written JUST FOR YOU! 

funtotravel.info also offers informative and practical country profiles, real-timetraveller reviews for destinations around the world, as well as social networking for backpackers, connecting you on the road like never before. What are you waiting for? Sign up today!

Photo of the Day 18 December 2010

Inside the Vatican Museum, Rome, Italy (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Rome: Incredible history, architecture, sights and some great hostels and nightlife make Italy's illustrious capital a must-visit. From the Colosseum to the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, St Peters and the Vatican Museum give yourself as much time as possible to drink everything in – you'll need it.


Click here for our free guide to Italy.

Photo of the Day 17 December 2010

World wonder: Machu Picchu (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Machu Picchu
Obvious really – but to leave Peru without seeing one of the Wonders of the World is to have wasted a trip. Lost for centuries before being ‘rediscovered’ in 1911 and reclaimed from the jungle, the ancient Incan city straddles precariously the mountain-top, as if it may slide down at any moment. It is surrounded on all sides by a cordon of verdant peaks, including the conical Wayna Picchu, the perfect backdrop for most photos over the ruins. Machu Picchu is best reached by the Inca Trail, a three and a half-day hike over 35 miles of rugged Andean terrain, reaching heights of 4,200m and following the steps laid by the Incans themselves before reaching the Sun Gate high above Machu Picchu to watch the sun rise over the ruins on the morning of the fourth day. It is magical. Make sure you book ahead online to guarantee a place on the true Inca Trail – only 500 passes are given out each day (and half of these go to the porters). If you can't plan that far in advance then there are a number of alternative treks finishing at Machu Picchu (including the popular Lares Trek), which are no less rewarding and that can be booked with only a few days notice. For the less adventurous, there is train service to Aguas Calientes at the foot of the mountain, and a bus which plies the meandering road up and down.


Read our free guide to Peru here.

Photo of the Day 16 December 2010

Our apologies for radio silence - some technical issues at our end!

The beautiful hills over Tupiza, Bolivia

Tupiza was the setting for the infamous adventures of the real-life Butch Cassidy and the Sunshine Kid: it feels like a little slice of the Wild West, Bolivian style. The small but pretty town is set in a stunning rocky landscape replete with canyons, gorges and forests of cacti, perfect for horse riding, mountain biking and hiking. The town has one or two idiosyncrasies (every restaurant has an identical menu), but is a charming and wonderful place to start your tour of the Salar de Uyuni.

Click here to read our guide to Bolivia

Photo of the Day 8 December 2010

Buzzing Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

The gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, Cusco is so much more than a departure point. The ancient Incan capital, and the scene of the some of the Spanish conquistadores more brutal repressions, Cusco still bares the marks of those who have fought for it. Around the majestic Plaza de Armas, the colonial cathedral and porticos vie with original Incan masonry, still supporting the town walls hundreds of years later. There is no question which one the locals will tell you is the better handicraft. Wandering the streets of Cusco, with excellent shopping, restaurants and bars as well as the artisan barrio up the hill in San Blas, you could easily lose a day or two. And you’ll need to, to acclimatise to the altitude (3,500m) before going any further – soroche (altitude sickness) is a common complaint for those not planning time to relax and take it all in.

Click here for our guide to Peru.

Photo of the Day 6 December 2010

The winding road between Cachi and Salta in northern Argentina (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Click here for our guide to Argentina

Photo of the Day 5 December 2010

The Atlas Mountains viewed from the Ourika Valley, Morocco (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Photo of the Day 4 December 2010

The colourful 'Camonito' in Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Click here for our guide to Argentina.